Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

What are some techniques that have worked well for athletes in coping with mental stress? I am coaching a high school girl triple jumper that has a good chance of qualifying for State for the first time. Her training has gone very well throughout the winter and spring. She is set up just right heading into Sections/qualification for State. However, because she has put everything into this, and wants to do very well, the stress of it coming down to one day is affecting her well-being. This is the major cause, with just a little bit being school and her mother nagging her. She is exhibiting some of the classic signs…sleeping problems, muscle tenseness (in different places on different days), leg cramps, headaches, etc.

She has Section finals this Saturday. She sincerely wants to be not stressed, but doesn’t know how to NOT be stressed. She had no idea she was even stressed in the first place, until she looked it up and it matched her symptoms to the T.

I need her to be relaxed heading into Saturday!

Tough situation.  You probably won’t like this suggestion but you could mess around with some binaural beats audio (ie: holosync and similar products).  It is great for acute entrainment of brain waves (can promote relaxation).  I’ve been using it for the past year or so and it definitely works.  That is your unconventional information for today.

Apart from the possible value of Mortac’s suggestion (of which I have no knowledge), I think the best you can do is to get her into huge amounts of visualization of her jumping.  It has worked for me with tense athletes.  Won’t cure the underlying stress, much of which comes from off the track probably, but it may help with the immediate manifestations. 

Most of my high school female runners sound like yours.  At a big meet, I tell them, “Everybody in this meet is nervous.  There are two types of competitors here: those who are nervous and believe in themselves, and those who are just nervous.“  That has calmed down at least some of my girls.

mediate with deep breathing in a quiet room, possibly to music…about 10 mins until all thoughts are focused onto one thing, like a word or an image or something, followed by a 10 min visualizion of herself jumping perfectly, maybe her best ever jump or her goal (perfect jump)...works very well, should be done 2-3 times per week.

but generally, breathing and relaxation sessions help with stress alot…

mortac8 - 28 May 2008 02:56 AM

Tough situation.  You probably won’t like this suggestion but you could mess around with some binaural beats audio (ie: holosync and similar products).  It is great for acute entrainment of brain waves (can promote relaxation).  I’ve been using it for the past year or so and it definitely works.  That is your unconventional information for today.

I never heard of the binaural beats. That’s an interesting one. Think that would help her to achieve Nirvana by Saturday? Maybe next year though. My damn Capoeira CD I ordered back in mid-April still hasn’t arrived from Brazil, and they won’t respond to my emails.

ex400 - 28 May 2008 05:50 AM

Apart from the possible value of Mortac’s suggestion (of which I have no knowledge), I think the best you can do is to get her into huge amounts of visualization of her jumping.  It has worked for me with tense athletes.  Won’t cure the underlying stress, much of which comes from off the track probably, but it may help with the immediate manifestations. 

Most of my high school female runners sound like yours.  At a big meet, I tell them, “Everybody in this meet is nervous.  There are two types of competitors here: those who are nervous and believe in themselves, and those who are just nervous.“  That has calmed down at least some of my girls.

Yup, I’ll have her keep visualizing. I’ll remind her that the others are nervous too, that sounds good. She’ll know she has the edge, what with the preparation she’s put in. In this case, I’m actually convinced that the stress isn’t really coming from off the track…it’s largely the nervous anticipation in this culmination.

crazyhops - 28 May 2008 11:50 AM

mediate with deep breathing in a quiet room, possibly to music…about 10 mins until all thoughts are focused onto one thing, like a word or an image or something, followed by a 10 min visualizion of herself jumping perfectly, maybe her best ever jump or her goal (perfect jump)...works very well, should be done 2-3 times per week.

but generally, breathing and relaxation sessions help with stress alot…

That’s a good one, too. That’s about all she’ll have the time for, since she has school Thursday and Friday. I was thinking about recommending her to go to a movie or the zoo or something the day before, to take her mind off of it, but the comp. is Saturday morning…no day off for relaxation from the daily obligations beforehand.

saltojump5 - 28 May 2008 12:41 PM

I never heard of the binaural beats. That’s an interesting one. Think that would help her to achieve Nirvana by Saturday? Maybe next year though. My damn Capoeira CD I ordered back in mid-April still hasn’t arrived from Brazil, and they won’t respond to my emails.

Yes it’s def. something to look in to.  You can get some freebie stuff on the net probably.  I suggest it because you don’t actually have to “do” anything.  Getting some people to actually chill and visualize/practice deep breathing can be an adventure depending on the athlete.

she should start thinking about the comp 3 days before, and all the visualizing with give her so much confidence, im sure the nervs will disapear…her stress too should be lowered alot by all the positive thorts…

crazyhops - 28 May 2008 02:25 PM

she should start thinking about the comp 3 days before, and all the visualizing with give her so much confidence, im sure the nervs will disapear…her stress too should be lowered alot by all the positive thorts…

This is exactly what happened today. She came into the meet so relaxed and confident. She PR’d by 3 feet (36’4”) and automatically qualified for State on her last jump. It was the greatest thing.

Gentlemen of the round table, I thank you. Your advice helped me to talk her through it leading up to today. The stress went away and she’s on cloud nine now!

Bravo!